Time flew by like a white horse passing a crevice. In the blink of an eye, seventy years had quietly slipped away.
The former Immortal Spirit City had long since been elevated to the core immortal city of the Immortal Spirit Holy Land, governing the entire Xuanying Continent.
The Holy Land itself, after decades of development and accumulation, had become a magnificent sight with ethereal immortal mountains and dragon-like spirit veins. It had become the undisputed supreme orthodoxy of the lower realm, its fame spreading throughout all realms.
Today, the Immortal Spirit Holy Land was adorned with lanterns and streamers everywhere. Auspicious clouds swirled about, immortal cranes sang in unison, and a festive and harmonious atmosphere prevailed.
Rich spirit mist was dyed with faint gold and red hues by magic, transforming into rosy clouds that filled the sky—a breathtakingly beautiful sight. Countless streaks of light converged from all directions, all being various immortals and sect representatives coming to observe the ceremony and offer congratulations. The scene was grand and magnificent, far surpassing the grand tournament of the Heavenly Alliance back then.
For today was the day of the grand wedding between the Holy Land's core elder—Jiang Che—and the fairy Xi Yan!
In the main hall's plaza, guests gathered in droves. Cups clinked and laughter rang out in a lively atmosphere.
"Congratulations to Elder Jiang! Felicitations to Fairy Xi Yan!"
"A match made in heaven—truly the envy of all!"
"Fairy Xi Yan has finally found happiness after all her hardships. This is truly a great joyous occasion for our Holy Land!"
People offered their congratulations to today's protagonists one after another. Jiang Che wore a bright red wedding robe, his figure tall and upright. The indifference he once held toward matters of love and romance had long been replaced by a gentle smile. His brows were filled with the triumph of spring.
Beside him, Xi Yan wore a phoenix crown and crimson wedding robes. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, radiantly lovely. She leaned against Jiang Che's side, her face flushed with happiness and shyness, her eyes sparkling with starlight, filled with sweetness.
On the high platform above, Chen Chang'an and Ji Hongli sat side by side, receiving the new couple's bows as elders on both sides. Chen Chang'an still wore that lazy, casual expression, but his eyes were full of relief and blessings. Ji Hongli smiled even more brilliantly, as if recalling something happy. The joy in her eyes and brows couldn't be hidden.
Han Yu, Li Hanzhou, Ji Lingxiu, Lu Xiaoluo, Chen Xingcai, and other fellow disciples surrounded them, all wearing sincere smiles. The atmosphere was warm and lively. Even Han Yu, who usually had a cold face, now had a rare gentle curve to his lips.
The entire hall was filled with celebration, everyone beaming with joy.
Yet, amidst this boisterous revelry, there were two corners suffused with faint, barely perceptible loneliness.
In the guest seating, Xiao Ling'er wore a pale yellow dress. Her appearance was still spirited and lovely—time seemed to have left few traces on her face. She held a wine cup, but her gaze involuntarily drifted again and again toward Xiao Chen, who was chatting and laughing with guests, his bearing growing increasingly steady and dignified.
Xiao Chen was now the renowned Alliance Master of the Heavenly Alliance in the lower realm, governing Xuanying with countless daily affairs. His cultivation was unfathomably deep. He moved among the guests with proper demeanor and a gentle smile, yet naturally exuded the commanding presence of a leader who inspired awe without anger.
Xiao Ling'er watched him, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
That gaze held adoration, reliance, and an attachment she couldn't sever. But even more, it held a dejection and loss buried deep in her heart—yearning for something she could never have. Another seventy years had passed... She was still his closest "childhood sweetheart," the little sister he doted on. She could pull his sleeve and act spoiled without restraint, could barge into his Alliance Master's grand hall at any time... But their relationship seemed forever frozen at this point.
He treated her extremely well—so well that she became lost in it, yet also so well that she clearly saw that insurmountable boundary. The feelings buried deep in her heart, fermenting over time, hadn't faded. Instead, they grew richer, and more... hopeless.
She sighed softly and drank the spirit wine in her cup in one gulp. The wine was mellow and rich, yet carried an indescribable bitterness.
On the other side, near a pillar in the shadows, a graceful figure in an elegant black robe stood quietly, as if out of place with the surrounding festivities. She was Zhu Weiyang.
Her gaze traveled past the noisy crowd, past the happy couple, almost greedily yet carefully landing on the high platform—on the two figures sitting side by side like a perfect pair, Chen Chang'an and Ji Hongli.
Her gaze lingered for a moment on Chen Chang'an's face with its lazy smile. Extremely complex, hard-to-read emotions flickered in her eyes—awe, gratitude, a warmth that had been impossible to erase from her heart all these years, and perhaps... a trace of instinctive stirring deeply suppressed, something she absolutely dared not reveal in the slightest? Finally, all emotions condensed into an almost inaudible sigh, transforming into an immovable loneliness in the depths of her eyes.
Then, her gaze more often fell on Ji Hongli. Watching the tacit understanding and intimacy that naturally flowed between Ji Hongli and Chen Chang'an without need for words, watching the happy, satisfied, radiant smile on her face... Zhu Weiyang's eyes grew even dimmer. It was a loneliness and desolation like standing at the edge of a bottomless abyss, gazing at the lights on the opposite shore.
At this moment, watching that perfect happiness, feeling that blinding warmth, she only felt that some corner of her heart was hollow. The festivity filling the hall made it feel even more desolate and lonely.
She lowered her eyes slightly, hiding herself deeper in the shadows, as if this could isolate her from that warmth that made her heart ache.
The hall was filled with laughter and music, red silk covering the sky.
Jiang Che and Xi Yan gazed at each other with smiles, their eyes holding only each other, overflowing with happiness.
Chen Chang'an and Ji Hongli accepted everyone's blessings, composed and gratified.
Xiao Chen handled guests from all sides with effortless grace, his Alliance Master's bearing fully displayed.
And beneath this scene of flourishing prosperity and blooming flowers, those two silent moments of loneliness were like two specks of dust falling into a lake, quietly sinking to the bottom without stirring a single ripple.
[
Dear Readers,
I want to speak with you directly for a moment.
For the past two years, I have been here every single day, translating two chapters daily, pushing out bonus releases, and keeping early access running for those who want more. Three novels are being worked on simultaneously. The schedule is relentless, but I have kept it consistent because I know readers are waiting.
The truth is, the financial side of this work has become difficult. Patreon is what makes this sustainable. It is what allows me to keep the daily releases going instead of slowing down or stopping. If you have been reading along and the stories have meant something to you, joining a tier is the most direct way to ensure they continue without interruption.
Here is exactly what each tier offers:
$3 per month
10 chapters in advance across all works, plus 8 chapters per week for each fiction.
$7 per month
15 chapters in advance across all works, plus 8 chapters per week for each fiction.
$10 per month
30 advanced chapters instantly for the same price the old 20-chapter tier used to cost. That comes out to 56 chapters per month for each fic, and I am working on 3 fics right now. You can do the math on how much content that is. This tier also includes access to character images.
A quick but important note: Subscribing through the Apple App adds an extra 30% fee because of Apple and Patreon policy. Subscribe through your browser to avoid that extra charge. Apple also processes payments very late, around 2 to 3 months, which makes it much harder to receive money quickly after you subscribe.
If you can support, it genuinely helps keep the daily releases alive. If you cannot, reading and sharing the work still matters more than you know.
---
New Novel Announcement
I am excited to announce a new addition to the lineup.
Title: The Greatest Immortal Sect of All Time
Synopsis:
This is an invincible sect. This is the strongest sect to ever exist across all ages.
The ultimate trickster, Chen Xi, transmigrates to a foreign continent and obtains a heaven-defying system.
You call yourself the Heavenly Profound Saint Venerable? Barely acceptable. You will serve as a menial disciple.
The Yellow Springs Great Emperor? Not bad. From now on, you are in charge of cleaning the latrines.
The number one female emperor of the Nine Heavens? The strongest demon god of the Primordial Era?
Sorry. Our sect is full of people like you.
This is not a story where the main character starts off completely invincible. Chen Xi begins slightly stronger than average, but he is still weak-to-strong with clear goals and steady progression. The power scale builds over time, and the journey is what drives the story.
The first 30 chapters will be free to read on Patreon, so you can get a feel for the tone and decide if it is something you want to follow.
I think this one is going to be a lot of fun, and I cannot wait to start sharing it with you.
Thank you for your time, and thank you for being here.
Patreon: patreon.com/Alex_Cruise
]